Horse-detacher.



C. B. CUMMONS.

HORSE DETAGHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.5,1909.

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

man

2x 1 in wow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE B. GUMMONS, 0F PLAINVIEW. TEXAS.

HORSE-DETACHER.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that l, Utrxnnseu [3. (Junnoxs, a citizen of the l nitedStates, residing at Plainview, in the county of Halo and State of Texas,have invented a new and useful. llorse-Detacher, of which the followingis a specification.

The objects of the invention are, generally, the provision, in amerchantable form,

" of a device. of the class above specifiethf which shall be inexpensiveto n'lanufacture, facile lll operation and devoid of complicated parts;specifically, the provision of a l double-tree, swmgle-trees, and breastyoke. of novel and improved construction and of novel means forassembling them with each other and with the elements by which they arecarried; and more particularly the provision of novel means fordetaching draft animals when attached to the said breast yoke andswingletrees; other and further objects being made manifest hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel construction. and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described, delineated in the accompai'lying drawings,and particularly pointed out in that portion of this instrument whereinpatentable novelty is claimed for certain distinctive and peculiarfeatures of .f the device, it being understood that within the scope ofwhat hereinafter is thus claimed divers changes in the form,proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made Withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to denote corresponding partsthroughout the several figures of the draw ings.

in the accompanying drawings :---ligure .1 shows my invention 111 topplan; Fig. 2

is a side elevation of the end of the tongue and the mechanism mountedthereon; Fig.

3 is a vertical loi'igitiulinal section of the breast yoke; Fig. l is aperspective of the i double-tree and swingle'trcc, parts being brokenaway; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of y the extension piece. showing itsattachment i to the swingle-tree and the double-tree: Fig. (3 is adetail perspective of the clevis.

In carrying out my invention, I provide, )rimarily, a tongue, denoted inthe several figures by the numeral 1. I further provide a. wear-plate,denoted by the numeral 2 and having its forward end 3 upturned substan-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 5, 1909.

Patented J an. 25, 1.910. Serial No. 481,287.

tially at right angles to its body portion. Mounted upon this wear-plate9 is a doubletree .18, having its forward edge in contact with theupturned end 8 of the wear-plate. The double-tree 18 is assembled withthe f tongue I! by means of a pivot bolt .4, which passes through thedouble-tree l8 and through the wear-plate 2, into engagement with thesaid tonguel. Mounted upon the said doubletree 18 intermediate its endsand above the i wear-plate 2 is a bridge piece 5 extendinglongitudinally of the double-tree 18. Transversely mounted upon thebridge piece 5 is a strip (3. At the point where the strip (3 crossesthe forward edge of the bridge piece 5 it is upbent substantially atright angles to the upper face of the bridge piece, as de- I noted bythe numeral 90, and it is again flexed into a plane substantiallyparallel to I the plane of the upper face of the bridge piece andforwardly extended beyond said bridge piece as denoted by the numeral91. I Mounted upon the rear face of the portion 90 of the strip is aclip 7, and through this 1 clip 7 and the portion 90 of the strip, andthe forwardend 3 of the wear-plate 2 are passed t bolts whereby theseveral parts are assembled. Mounted upon the upper face of the strip (5adjacent its rear edge is a U-shaped l standard 8, between the arms ofwhich is l pivoted a bifurcated lever 9. An attaching member 10 istransversely mounted between i the arms of the lever 9 and has itsterminals bent substantially at right angles to its body portion, theserectangularly bent portions of lthe member 10 being pivotally connectedl with the arms of the lever 9. The guide l plate 11., is attached atits forward edge to the forwardly extending portion 91 of the strip (5,and this guide plate is centrally cut 1 away at its forward edge to formarms 12, l the rear edge of the guide plate being up standmg, as denotedby the numeral let. This guide plate 11 is spaced from the strip (5 andbetween the guide plate and the strip are journaled for rotation pulleys15, disposed adjacent the Sides of the guide plate. These pulleys 15 arespaced apart, and between them and between the arms 12 of the guideplate is disposed a flexible element 16, 1 one end of which is made fastto the attaching member 10, the other terminal thereof being carriedforward along the tongue 1 l and operatively connected with certainmecht anisms, which will be hereinafter described. 1 Other flexibleelements 17 are provided, and

the rear terminals of these elements 17 are made fast to the attachingmember 10, their forward terminals being passed between the plate 11 andthe strip 6 and about the pulleys 15 and laterally flexed into alinementwith the double-tree 18, the element 17 being operatively connected withcertain horse detaching mechanisms which will be described hereinafter.At this point it may be stated that when the lever 9 is operated thepivotal connection between the member 10 and the lever 9, together withthe upturned rear end 14 of the guide plate 11, furnish means wherebythe flexible elements 16 and 17 may be led fairly and smoothly betweenthe guide plate 11 and the strip 6.

The double-tree 18 is fashioned from a plurality of plates superposedupon one another, one of these plates being terminally extended beyondthe others, as denoted by the numeral. 19, to form a suitable attachingplate for an extension piece 20., which projects forward from thedouble-tree 18 substantially at right angles thereto. Between thisextension piece 20 and the bridge piece 5 the double-tree 18 is providedwith a rearwardly extending member 21, having a suitable aperture toreceive stay chains or the like. Mounted upon the lower face of theextension piece 20 is a bracket 22, the swingletree 24 being disposedbetween the terminal of the bracket 22 and the terminal of the extensionpiece 20 and being retained in place by and pivoted upon a bolt 23,passing through the bracket and the extension piece.

The rear terminal of the extension piece 1 20 is over-bent upon itselfand forwardly extended to form a clip 92., and within this clip ishoused and journaled for rotation a pulley 93. The forward end of theextension piece 20 carries clips 25, spaced apart laterally and eachprovided with a pulley 26, the clips 25 preferably being U-shaped inform, and the whey 26 being inclosed between their arms. lounted uponthe upper face of the extension piece 20 is a slide 27, and this slide27 is provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 28, designed toreceive bolts 29, having their lower ends mounted in the extension piece20. These bolts 29 serve to maintain the slide 27 in its place and tolimit its movement to a direction longitudinal of the extension piece20. The forward end of the slide is backbent to form a hook 31, whichregisters between the clips 25 of the extension piece, and the rear endof the slide is upturned as denoted by the numeral 30, to form anattaching plate for the forward terminal of the flexible element 17after it has been carried about the pulley 93.

The swingle-tree 24 is fashioned from a plurality of superposed plates,the upper plate of the series being the shortest, and the plates beneathit increasing in length to the lowest one of the series, which is thelongest.

The terminals of the several plates, of which the swingle-tree 24 isformed are upturned substantially at right. angles to the body portionof the plates to form guides 33, 36, 37 and 38, and these several guidesare provided with alined apertures designed to receive, slidably, a bolt34, the inner end of which is turned at a right angle, as denoted by thenumeral 35. A flexible element, preferably a coil spring 39, has one ofits terminals attached to the end 35 of the bolt 34, its other terminalbeing attached to one of the guides, preferably to the guide 36. Thisspring 39 serves as a means to hold the bolt 34 normally in registerwith the apertures in the several guides, it being understood that theend of the trace chain or tug is commonly inserted between the guides 37and 38, in which position it will be engaged by the bolt 34, the samebeing actuated by the spring 39. Each end of the swingle-tree 24 isequipped and arranged in the manner above described, and the bolts 34,which are slidably mounted in the remote ends of the swingle-tree areconnected by means of a flexible element 40. This flexible element 40 ispassed to the front of one of the pulleys 26, thence to the rear of thepulley 32 which is mounted in the hook 31 of the slide, thence in frontof the other pulley 26 and terminally attached to the other locking bolt29.

The outer end of the tongue 1 carries a shoe 41, which preferably isfashioned from a single strip of metal bent upon itself to form anupwardly projecting hook. One end of the shoe 41 is rigidly attached tothe lower face of the tongue 1, the other terminal thereof being rigidlyattached to the upper face of the tongue and terminally up-bent,substantially at right angles to the tongue, as denoted by the numeral42. Mounted upon the upper face of the tongue at its outer end is achannel piece 43, one of the upstanding ends of which is brought intocontact with the upturned end 42 of the shoe. The pivot plate 44 isdisposed longitudinally of the tongue 1 and is provided with dependingarms to register between the arms of the channel piece 43, the member 44being united pivot-ally at 45 with the channel piece.

The breast yoke, denoted generally by the numeral 46 is united with thepivot plate 44 by means of a suitable connecting bolt 47. The breastyoke is free to turn in a horizontal plane upon the element 47, and toturn with the pivot plate 44 in a vertical plane upon the connections 45whereby the pivot plate 44-is assembled with the channel piece 43.Mounted above the breast yoke 46 and disposed longitudinally of thetongue 1 is a strip 48, which is rigidly assembled by means of bolts orthe like with the pivot plate 44, the breast yoke 46 being disposedbetween the said strip and the pivot plate. Mounted upon the upper faceof the strip 48 are a pair of clips 49, spaced apart and disposedadjacent the edges of the said strip. The forward terminals of the clips4-) are back-bent, as denoted by the numeral 50, and within theseback-bent portions are housed and journaled for rotation pulleys 51. Aslide 52 resembling the slide 27 is mounted between the clips 49, thesaid slide being provided with longitudinally disposed slots 53 throughwhich pass bolts 54 into connection with the strip 48, the slide beingfree to move upon the said bolts. The slide is provided with a hookedend 55 which is disposed between the back-bent ends 50 of the clips, andwithin this hooked portion 55 is housed and journaled for rotation apulley 56. The rear end 57 of the slide is downturned to form a suitableattaching place for the forward end of the flexible element 16. which,extendingrearward. is connected with the lever 9.

The breast yoke 46 comprises a plurality of SllpGt'pOSGtl plates 58. 5!)and (it) the plates 59 and (SO uniting at their outer ends to form aneye 61. The outer end of the breast yoke is comprised of plates (32, 63and M. which terminate in alinement adjacent to the eye (51. Rigidlymounted upon the upper surface of the plate (34. is an extension plate(55 which projects beyond the eye (it and upon the upper face of theplate (30. the portion of the extension plate (55 which extends in- Wardbeyond the eye 61 being biit'ureated to form arms 66. The extensionplate 65 carries a clip 67, having its ends downturned and provided withapertures alined with the eye 61, and through these apertures andthrough the eye is passed a pivot bolt 68, whereby the outer portion ofthe breast yoke is pivotally connected with that portion which ismounted upon the tongue 1.

The plate 58 is provided with upstanding cars 70, having apertures toreceive a transversely disposed pin 71, which. when the outer end of thebreast yoke is upturned to bring the arms 66 into contact with the uppersurface of the plate (50, will serve to maintain the outer end of thebreast yoke in alinement with the central portion which is pivoted uponthe tongue 1. Mounted upon the upper face of the plate tit) and disposedbetween the arms tit) of the extension plate is a slide 72, having slots73. designed to receive bolts 7 4t, which pass through the plates 58. 59and 60. The slide 72 is free to move in the direction of the length ofthe breast yoke 46 upon the bolts 7-t. The adjacent ends 75 of theslides 72 are upturned. and these adjacent upturned ends are connectedby a flexible element 9-1:, which passes in front of the pulleys 5,1 andto the rear of the pulley 56. The remote ends of the slides 72 areupturned as denoted by the numeral 76, and from each of these upturnedends 76 a flexible element 95 extends to terminal connection with a bolt81 which is slidably mounted at the extremity of the breast yoke. Theextremity of the plate 64 is up-bent at right angles to form a guide 77,and upon the plate (i l adjacent the guide 77 is mounted a U-shapedpiece 78, the upstanding arms of which form other guides. Between theguides 79 which are formed by the arms ofthe U-shaped piece 78, ismounted an L-shaped member 80, which constitutes the fourth guide of theseries. These several guides 77, 79 and 80 are j'n'ovided with alinedapertures in which is slidably mounted the bolt 81, the inner end ofwhich is overbent, as denoted by the numeral 82. A tlexible element 83preferably a coil spring. has one of its terminals attached to the head92 of the bolt. its other terminal being attached to one of the guides,preferably. as shown. the guide 80. This spring 83 serves to maintainthe bolt normally in registration with the apertures in the severalguides, after the manner of the spring 3.). which is used in connectionwith the swingle-trce.

The space between the guide 77 and the outer of the guidts 79 isdesigned to receive a suitable clevis member 86. whereby the breaststrap may be assembled with the breast yoke, and this clcvis member St;comprises a shaft 87, upon which is journaled for rotation a roller 88.

In practical operation, should the draft animal become unduly fractious.or attempt to run away, the lever 9 may be drawn rear ward, by means ofa suitable pull cord 85), which may be attached thereto. As the lever 9moves rearward the flexible element 17 will move over the pulleys l5 and93. causing the slides 27 to move rearward upon the extension pieces 20.As the slides 27 move rearward the pulley 32 which is carried by each ofthe slides. will engage the flexible element 40. causing the bolt 3+ tobe withdrawn from the guides 37 and 38, whereby the traces will be freedfrom the ends of the swingle-trees.

\Vhile the foregoing operation is taking place, the flexible element towill be drawn rearward by means of the lever t). and as the flexibleelement lt' moves rearward it will draw with it, rear 'ardly. the slide52. the pulley 56 engaging the flexible element t l intermediate itsends. and causing its ends to move toward each other. The ends of theflexible element will draw toward the tongue 1 the slides 72. and theremote terminals of the slides 72. carrying with them the flexibleelements 95. will withdraw the bolt 81 from the guides 77. and the outerof the guides 75). thus freeing the clevis members 86 from the breastyoke 46. The draft animals, by the foregoing operation will be setentirely free from the tongue .1. and the tongue 1 will then drop to theground. By providing the shoe 41 upon the terminal of the tongue 1, I

to the vehicle. By means of this shoe all Y the tongue is prevented fromcoming into sudden abutment with a stump, rock or other obstacle whichmight be disposed upon the surface of the ground.

It will be seen that I have provided means whereby the breast yoke mayhave move ment in a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane relative tothe tongue 1, and, although the breast yoke is permanently assembledwith the tongue, I have provided means, in the form of the removablepins 71, whereby the remote terminals of the breast yoke may be droppedinto a depending and out-of-theway position when not in use.

The arrangement of cords and pulleys upon the breast yoke and theswingle-tree is such that these members may reciprocate in a horizontalplane without withdrawing the locking bolts from their positions in theseveral guides whereby they are carried. It is to be understood thatalthough this device is designed primarily as a horse detacher, thehorse-detaching mechanism in no way impairs the usefulness of thedevice. The draft animals may be set free from the swingle-trees and thebreast yoke in the usual manner, the heads 35 and 82 of the boltsfurnishing a means whereby they may be readily grasped by the hand towithdraw the locking bolts from the positions in which they are normallyheld by means of the several retractile springs hereinbefore de scribed.

It will be seen that the foregoing device represents a double-tree,swingle-trees, and a breast yoke of novel and improved construc tion,and that the horse-detaching means which are used in connectiontherewith are simple in construction and not likely to becomedisarranged through. use or rendered accidentally inoperative.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toprotect, by Letters- Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, a tongue; a double tree and abreast yoke pivoted to the tongue; swingle trees pivoted to the doubletree; a bridge piece mounted upon the double tree; a bifurcated leverfulcrumed upon the bridge piece; an attaching member terminally pivotedbetween the bifurcations of the lever; a guide disposed upon the bridgepiece; pulleys located between the guide. plate and the bridge piece;harness engaging means carried by the terminals of the breast yoke andthe swingle trees; flexible elements passed about the pul leys andterminally connected with the attaching member and with the harnessengaging means of the swingle trees; and a flexible element connected atone end with the attaching member, and at the other end connected wlththe harness engaging means of the breast yoke.

2. In a device of the class described, a supporting element; a stripmounted upon the supporting element; a breast yoke pivoted between thestrip and the supporting element; harness-engaging means carried by theremote terminals of the breast yoke; a slide mounted upon the breastyoke upon either side of the strip; flexible elements uniting the remoteterminals of the slides with the harness-engaging means; a flexibleelement uniting the adjacent terminals of the slides; a slide mountedupon the strip and arranged to engage the flexible element uniting theslides of the breast yoke; and means for operating the strip-mountedslide.

3. In a device of the class described, a supporting element; a bridgepiece carried by the supporting element; a bifurcated lever fulcrumedupon the bridge piece; an attaching member terminally pivoted betweenthe bifurcations of the lever; a guide plate superposed upon the bridgepiece and having its rear terminal upwardly bent; pulleys disposedbetween the guide plate and the bridge piece; flexible elements passedabout the pulleys and arranged to be engaged by the upturned end of theguide plate, and terminally connected with the attaching member; andhorse-detaching means operatively connected with the flexible elements.

4. In a device of the class described, a supporting element; a bridgepiece carried by the supporting element; a lever fulcrumed upon thebridge piece; a guide plate superposed upon the bridge piece and havingits rear terminal upwardly bent; pulleys disposed between the guideplate and the bridge piece; flexible elements passed about the pulleysand arranged to be engaged by the upturned end of the guide plate, andterminally connected with the lever; and horse-detaching meansoperatively connected with the flexible elements.

In a device of the class described, a supporting element; a bridge piececarried by the supporting element; a strip mounted upon the bridge pieceand terminally disposed above the bridge piece; a guide plate mountedupon the terminal of the strip and spaced therefrom, the guide platebeing centrally cut away and having its rear terminal. up-bent; abifurcated lever fulcrumed upon the strip; an attaching member pivotedbetween the bifurcations of the lever; a flexible element having one ofits terminals connected with the attaching member, the flexible elementbeing forwardly extended through the opening in the guide plate, andarranged to be engaged by the upturned end of the guide plate; andhorse-detaching means operatively connected with the flexible element.

6. In a device of the class described, a supporting element; a bridgepiece carried by the supporting element; a strip mounted upon the bridgepiece and terminally disposed above the bridge piece; a guide platemounted upon the terminal of the strip and spaced therefrom, said guideplate being centrally cut away, and having its rear ter- I. i l l lminal up-bent; a lever fulcrumed upon the strip: a flexible elementhaving one of its terminals connected with the lever and being forwardlyextended through the opening in the guide plate, and being arranged tobe engaged by the upturned end of the guide plate: and horsedetachingmeans operatively connected with the flexible element.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atlixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CLARENCE B. CUMMONS. W itneeses:

V. B. MARTIN n. J. F. Sauna.

